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This Week's Monday Post Is Brought to You by (Voting) Tuesday...

So. I have things to blog about Chicago and South Bend, but I'm waiting for a photo, plus, I don't have the brain space at the moment. The reason I don't have the brain space is that, as always upon returning home after a trip, I am feeling a bit overwhelmed. My email is overflowing; my snail mail is overflowing; my un-unpacked suitcase is overflowing; my laundry hamper is overflowing; my to-do list is overflowing.... pretty much the only thing that's not overflowing is my refrigerator, which is completely empty. Sigh.... a gal could get stressed out. (And hungry.)

This is why instead of trying to blog about something that takes brains, I'm going to sit here on the couch in my flannel pjs, eat some chocolate, and tell you the library books I have out right now, because even though my library shelf is also overflowing, its overflowingness is of a kind that makes me happy.

All of these are either books that were recommended to me by someone with good taste OR things I saw at the library that looked intriguing, so consider them all recommendations. Ready? I'll link to Amazon descriptions, so if something catches your eye you can go learn more:

Fiction

The Children's Book, by A. S. Byatt -- recommended to me by several people. The reviews have been mixed, but, being Byatt, it's bound to be complex and full of stuff to think about, plus, it's so beautiful!

The Virginian, by Owen Wister -- I... have a feeling this might be one of the ones that goes back to the library unread. Supposed to be a great Western classic, but you might remember how excited I am NOT about Westerns, plus, it's really long, and I'm going to die someday.

Shane, by Jack Schaefer -- loved this one in high school, but... ditto. Not sure why I have it, to be honest.

The Potter's Field (a Brother Cadfael mystery), by Ellis Peters -- I just can't get enough of this 12th Century monk who solves murder mysteries. I haven't looked too closely at this one, but I'm guessing some innocent passerby discovers a body in a potter's field. It's kind of amazing how many murders there are in and around the abbey.

Ship Breaker, by Paolo Bacigalupi -- comes highly recommended by Rebecca Rabinowitz, who calls it "Ripping scifi with fantastic world-building. Also, interracial protagonist of color surrounded by supporting characters of color." I am kind of beyond myself with excitement about this one and just need to find the TIME.

Ninth Ward, by Jewell Parker Rhodes -- all I know is that it's about Hurricane Katrina and New Orleans and came recommended by many people, and I will be reading it soon.

Will Grayson, Will Grayson, by John Green and David Levithan -- a friend practically hopped when she recommended this one to me, which is impressive, as she was sitting on my couch at the time, just exactly where I am right now. In fact, experimentally, I have just tried practically hopping, and have not met with success. So. Obviously the moral of this story is that we should all read this book.

Ballet Shoes, by Noel Streatfeild -- this will be a reread. Loved this one when I was a kid.

King Dork, by Frank Portman -- also recommended by a friend, though I'll be going into it cold -- don't have the foggiest notion what it's about.

The Tough Guide to Fantasyland, by Diana Wynne Jones. This is, apparently, a hysterically funny reference book about fantasy tropes, though I'm not sure if I'm going to find it funny. I may, instead, cringe my way through, seeing as I make a living from those tropes. :o)

DVDs (I usually get my DVDs from Netflix, but I think I mentioned that the library had a Bollywood display up the other day? All of the following are Bollywood movies, in Hindi with English subtitles, and all star a certain person but NOTICE THAT AS PROMISED I AM NOT MENTIONING ANY NAMES)

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Jane has lived an ordinary life, raised by her aunt Magnolia—an adjunct professor and deep sea photographer. Jane counted on Magnolia to make the world feel expansive and to turn life into an adventure. But Aunt Magnolia was lost a few months ago in Antarctica on one of her expeditions. Now, with no direction, a year out of high school, and obsessed with making umbrellas that look like her own dreams (but mostly just mourning her aunt), she is easily swept away by Kiran Thrash—a glamorous, capricious acquaintan…

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First disclaimer: I was not sexually assaulted by a priest. That is not the story I'm about to tell.

Second: If you were raised Catholic and your experience was not like mine, I am relieved for you and glad. I respect your different story. I only ask that you respect my story, realize that I am not an isolated example, and believe me.

I grew up in Pennsylvania. My kindergarten, my grade school, my high school, and the high school to which most of my friends matriculated are all represented on that list of predator priests. The bishop who confirmed me, James Timlin of the Diocese of Scranton, a man I …

Kristin Cashore wrote the New York Times bestsellers Graceling, Fire, Bitterblue, and Jane, Unlimited. Graceling is the winner of the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Children's Literature and Fire is the winner of the Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award. The books are world travelers, currently scheduled to be published in thirty-four languages.

***

"Then, at last, sitting on her stretcher-bed, she took from the very bottom of her pack an old peacock-blue scarf folded around a heavy, square book. She unwrapped it and opened it very carefully, as if guilty secrets might fall from between its pages like pressed flowers. This was Harry's secret. She was a writer."

-from The Tricksters, by Margaret Mahy

Writing is my secret. Every day I unwrap and open it as carefully as I can. Welcome to my blog about writing and life! Above you'll find quick links about me and my books, and below is more about me, ways to subscribe, and an archive of past posts. Click here to go home to my most recent posts.

Finally, a note: This blog is my only online presence. I am not on Facebook, Google+, or any other social media sites, and I use Twitter mainly as an amalgamation feed for my blog. Sorry, but I do not read @-replies on Twitter!